What are the best stats to focus on when breeding Rexes in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Breeding Rexes in ARK: Survival Evolved is a complex but rewarding process that requires careful planning and execution. Rexes are one of the most powerful creatures in the game, making them ideal for boss fights and high-level PvP encounters. To breed the best Rexes, you need to focus on specific stats, understand the mechanics of breeding, and optimize your approach to maximize the potential of your offspring.

The first step in breeding Rexes is to find high-level wild Rexes with strong base stats. The higher the level of the wild Rex, the better its stats will be. When taming a Rex, use Kibble or Prime Meat to maximize its taming effectiveness, as this will result in higher post-tame stats. Once you have tamed multiple Rexes, check their stats to identify the best ones for breeding. The most important stats to focus on are Health, Melee Damage, and Stamina. Health and Melee Damage are critical for boss fights, while Stamina ensures your Rex can sustain prolonged combat. Weight and Movement Speed are less important for Rexes, as they are primarily used for combat rather than resource gathering or transportation.

To begin breeding, place two Rexes close to each other and enable the mating option. Ensure they are well-fed and in a safe environment. Once mating begins, the female Rex will lay a fertilized egg after a short period. The egg must be incubated at the correct temperature, which for Rexes is between 32┬░C and 34┬░C. Use Air Conditioners, Campfires, or other temperature-regulating structures to maintain the ideal temperature. Once the egg hatches, the baby Rex will require constant care. You must feed it regularly, as it cannot eat from troughs until it reaches the juvenile stage. Use Raw Meat or Cooked Meat to keep it fed, and ensure you have a steady supply of food on hand.

Imprinting is a crucial part of raising a baby Rex. Imprinting involves interacting with the baby at specific intervals to increase its stats and loyalty. Each imprinting session will give you a choice of actions, such as cuddling, walking, or feeding a specific item. Completing these actions will increase the imprinting percentage, which boosts the Rex's Health, Damage, and other stats. Aim for 100% imprinting to maximize the Rex's potential. Imprinting also increases the bond between the player and the Rex, making it more responsive in combat.

Mutations are another important aspect of breeding. Mutations can occur randomly and affect either the Rex's stats or its colors. Stat mutations are particularly valuable, as they can provide a permanent boost to a specific stat. However, mutations are rare, and each parent can only contribute a limited number of mutations to the offspring. To maximize mutations, breed Rexes with high base stats and track their lineage carefully. Keep detailed records of each Rex's stats and mutations to avoid inbreeding and ensure you are making progress toward your breeding goals.

One common mistake in breeding is neglecting to track stat inheritance. Each stat from the parents has a 55% chance of being inherited by the offspring. This means you can selectively breed Rexes to combine the best stats from both parents. For example, if one parent has high Health and the other has high Melee Damage, you can breed them together to produce an offspring with both high Health and Melee Damage. Over multiple generations, you can create Rexes with exceptional stats by carefully selecting which parents to breed.

Advanced breeding techniques involve stacking mutations to create even more powerful Rexes. This requires patience and a well-organized breeding program. Start by breeding two Rexes with high base stats and no mutations. Once you have a clean pair, introduce mutations by breeding them with mutated Rexes. Each mutation adds a small boost to a stat, and these boosts can stack over time. However, be mindful of the mutation limit, as each parent can only contribute 20 mutations to the offspring. To avoid hitting this limit, keep a clean pair of Rexes with no mutations to continue breeding with.

Resource management is critical for successful breeding. Raising baby Rexes requires a significant amount of food, so ensure you have a steady supply of meat. Build a feeding trough near your breeding area to make feeding easier. Additionally, prepare for the long incubation and maturation times by setting up a safe and secure base. Rexes take a long time to mature, so be prepared to invest time and resources into raising them.

Whether you are playing solo or in a tribe, breeding Rexes is a team effort. In a tribe, assign roles to different members to streamline the process. For example, one player can focus on gathering food, while another handles imprinting and care. Solo players will need to manage all aspects of breeding themselves, so plan your time carefully to ensure you can meet the demands of raising baby Rexes.

In conclusion, breeding Rexes in ARK: Survival Evolved is a detailed and strategic process that requires careful planning and execution. Focus on Health, Melee Damage, and Stamina when selecting Rexes for breeding. Use imprinting and mutations to enhance your Rexes' stats, and track their lineage to avoid inbreeding. With patience and dedication, you can create powerful Rexes capable of dominating boss fights and PvP encounters.